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Scientists Warn That World's Wilderness Areas Are Disappearing (nytimes.com)
Scientists are warning that if human beings continue to mine the world's wildernesses for resources and convert them into cities and farms at the pace of the previous century, the planet's few remaining wild places could disappear in decades. From a report: Today, more than 77 percent of land on earth, excluding Antarctica, has been modified by human industry, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature, up from just 15 percent a century ago. The study, led by researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia and the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York, paints the first global picture of the threat to the world's remaining wildernesses -- and the image is bleak. "We're on a threshold where whole systems could collapse and the consequences of that would be catastrophic," said James R. Allan, one of the study's authors. In the study, Mr. Allan and his colleagues urged the participants of a United Nations conference on biological diversity, scheduled for next month in Egypt, to protect all of the world's remaining wilderness areas. "We cannot afford to lose more," he said. "We must save it in its entirety."
Hope your stock returns keep you warm when you drown and/or starve to death with the rest of the species.
THE CREED (tm) of the PAVERS (traditional version)
We believe in a completely Paved Earth.
Earth is cursed with trees, shrubs, grass,
and scurrying creatures. With every breath
We act to right this terrible wrong.
We believe in The Plan (tm).
The Plan (tm) is the final word; it brings us
the knowledge of the twin pleasures:
Speed and Convenience.
We believe food should be enjoyed.
"Nutrition" is an aberration of human nature.
The juicy Burger and hearty Beer are Our sacrament.
We believe in the Depletion of scarce natural resources.
Some see the vessel as half full; others see it as
half-empty; We pour it out on the floor and laugh.
We believe in a sky roiling with Smog.
The color blue should appear nowhere but the paint
on Our HyperCars (tm).
Are you surprised people want you to die?
Where is this researcher asking for more research dollars? I'm not seeing it.
I am seeing the part where he is asking for protections on the remaining wilderness areas. See like a good idea to avoid collapse of biological systems.
Reading isn't as tough as you might think. But you don't get paid to read, just to comment. Is that correct, AC?
The lorax
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism
Enrich Amazon, destroy The Amazon.
But which politician is going to protect animals over people? Even in a developed and educated country like America, being against "tree huggers" and Spotted-owl lovers gets lots of votes.
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
Blah blah blah I'm just another worthless anonymous keyboard warrior who think I know more from living in my mother's basement and watching youtube videos every fucking minute of my miserable empty life than all those scientists who studied years and worked decades in numerous fields of science.
I go burn another tire with some used motor oil...
Even if there is hypocrisy, it doesn't disprove what is being said.
My usual comment regarding ANONYMOUS CHILD MOLESTERS applies here. Please shut the fuck up if you aren't willing to speak under your name. Oh, that's right, your name is Chester the Molester!
Yes, you moron, everyone who says something you donâ(TM)t agree with is a paid shill. You imbecile. You obtuse buffoon.
Anonymous Child Molesters like yourself should shut the fuck up until you pay penance for all the children you've molested anonymously.
We can still fit the entire population of the world in Texas giving them 981sq ft. Pretty impressive that we have managed to touch and/or effected 74,682,719 sq miles of land. Pretty amazing numbers we are putting up.
In the late 1970's I visited Saint Andrews State park in Panama City Florida. Went snorkeling many times and was amazed at the amount of Color and Life that was there at the time.
30 years later in 2003 I revisited the park for a Honeymoon. Once again I went snorkeling a few times and was amazed at how Gray and lifeless everything was.
We are Dead Stars looking back Up at the Sky
What fucking idiot doesn't know this already? It started millions of years ago dipstick.
Are you really that fucking stupid?
"Oh no, I can't drive a smaller car to help save the biology of this entire planet. My stupid, selfish, fat ass won't fit."
I don't respond to AC's.
Oh, boy, that's such a good point! You're really a thoughtful, intelligent person. You sure do have it all figured out, you selfish asshole.
I don't respond to AC's.
Well, those short-sighted, selfish asshole are going to learn the hard way, then, aren't they?
I'm glad I don't have kids. The world's largest ecosystems are currently collapsing at an unheard of rate, and it doesn't even warrant a "like" on the click click thing. Humanity's fucked.
I don't respond to AC's.
I can't decide if this is a flawless rebuttal or curiously-specific projection.
What's the problem they are pointing out? That humans are changing the planet too much? I've seen what happens when humans change the planet, they turn deserts to fruitful soil. I don't see that as a bad thing.
This is just a bunch of hatred on humanity. If the impact of humans on the planet bother you so much then don't breed. I'd suggest going further but I wouldn't wish death on anyone, even self hating idiots that would like to impose misery on their fellow humans to save the wilderness.
You know who does the best on saving the wildlife? Hunters. Licensed hunting has done more to save the wildlife than these self hating fools. You know who has done the most in turning sand to soil? Farmers. You know who has done the most to keep trees growing? Loggers. Who has done the most to maintain the fish populations? Fishermen. People in business collecting the world's resources will fight for making sure that there are resources to collect. Setting them off limits makes them worthless and therefore no one has any interest to preserve it.
Making the wilderness off limits to law abiding humans only opens it up poaching, littering, and all kinds of criminal behavior by the not so law abiding humans. We've seen this happen, don't make history repeat because of your ignorance of it.
I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
Gerald Edward Butler was arrested in 2014 for having sex with a horse.
And he wasn't "giving".
It is kind of like Elon Musk claiming that he is "green" but he has a 30,000 sqft house in California and several vacation homes and several private jets. Pathetic.
Gawd sakes Bosco, chase the nibbers and migrants outa town. Send 'em to Bwannaville. Two-child-per-family whites will maintain and improve the park. EOF.
We have now almost completely consumed the systems that give us life.
The fault is with you. People going off and enjoying nature also destroys it.
Will we eat our cake, or will we have it? You made your choice decades ago.
Oh, its projection. He's not even "Gerald Butler" - that's just some guy he's trying to frame. He even posted an address for the guy a couple of days ago. Whoever this guy is, he's got a major grudge against the real Gerald.
Linky?
mankind has learnt nothing in the last 1000 years....
It's overpopulation uber alles. Put it on your extinction R.I.P. You're just zombies now, waiting for the coup de grace.
....but on the other hand, i also heard that Bob Saget raped and killed a girl in 1990.
But you don't get paid to read, just to comment. Is that correct, AC?
As I like pointing out on Slashdot. Not everyone who disagrees with you is a shill. Some people are genuinely stupid.
There is no solution for this. All the politicians in all countries want growth. Growth is incompatible with wildlife. It is growth or wild life. You don't have to hold degree in poly Math to see who will win. From the point of view of The Rest Of Nature humanity is a virus.
Well, he may have written a paper saying something along the lines of "more research is required" in the conclusions section.
Of course, so does every single scientific paper published in the last 70 years. It's boilerplate. In fact, someone taking note of it and thinking it means something (e.g. "That study saying vaccines are safe also says 'more research is required!") is dead giveaway the person in question doesn't know how to read a scientific paper.
Stop sucking your own dick!
If people can't enjoy nature they will never understand exactly how amazing, important and beautiful nature is. We need to teach everyone how to respect the environment every day, every where while carving out special places needing special care. Humanity needs the same respect, fear and awe of nature now as when we lived much closer to it because its just as crucial to our survival now as it was then.
And the projection from mr stolen valor continues.
The only way this could stop (destruction of natural habitats) is in general populace control basically less people, I'm not saying start killing us just don't multiply like rabbits.
It's not about disproving it, it's about pointing out that this guy should put his money where his mouth is, instead of trying to tell OTHER PEOPLE what to do.
Also known as: Hypocrisy, lies, and manipulation.
But hey - complaints about trickle down economics are just "whataboutism"! When another country points to US emissions, that's "whataboutism"!! When someone points to some terrible thing you're doing, just scream "WHATABOUTISM!!!" to totally deflect! It works every time!
What do you chalk this up to though? In the States, most areas now have much less pollution than they did in the 1970s. (The Mississippi dead-zone is a notable exception)
Perhaps there was a storm before you got there that stirred up the water?
You've just invented meta-whataboutism.
The pace won't be the same because:
a) easily/moderately accessible resources are pretty much being exploited therefore $$$ will temper further exploitation
b) farms/cities can't be built just anywhere and already exist anywhere that is easily/moderately feasible.
Bottom line: nothing increases linearly forever. A scientist should know that. There will be a plateau and we've likely reached it.
Instead think: it is cheaper to increase efficiency of resource use and higher densities of habitation.
Epilogue: this sort of 'science' means well (maybe) but only makes people doubt scientists in the long run.
"Consensus" in science is _always_ a political construct.